Former Free State premier Mxolisi Dukwana accused of accepting bribes and BMW for son

Former Free State premier and current Speaker of the provincial legislature Mxolisi Dukwana has been accused of failing to intervene in the termination of a multimillion-rand road tender that has been marred in alleged corruption.

New Beginnings CEO Patrick Phuti had earlier accused current Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and her husband, Mangaung Metro Speaker Lawrence Mathae, of accepting lavish gifts and payments but sidelining him on the project.

The Free State government said Letsoha-Mathae had distanced herself from the “malicious and unfounded allegations”, while her husband labelled them as “defamatory”.

‘Bribes’

In WhatsApp messages seen by The Citizen, Phuti claimed to have also received “bad treatment” from Dukwana, who was premier of the Free State at the time.

Phuti claims he made several financial transactions with the Dukwana family, but was “terminated” from the road project that allegedly benefited Dukwana and his son.

“I gave you cash amounting to R600 000 at a casino in Welkom before being given the project. I bought a BMW for your son.

“Before my contract was terminated, I spoke to you regarding the matter of my impending termination. You assured me that you would speak to the former MEC [Member of the Executive Council] Mathae. However, that did not happen because now I have been ousted from the project.”

Free State legislature spokesperson Life Mokone acknowledged The Citizen‘s request for comment in response to the allegations. The comment will be included, once received.

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‘Project suffering’

Phuti further claimed that after the first invoice of the road contract, he gave Dukwana R2 million.

“Still you failed to defend me from the former MEC Mathae. This [R2 million payment] was part of the money that made the project suffer. After telling you that the project was suffering, I told you that I had taken money from Bafokeng Funeral Parlour in order for me to sustain the project while you were still the premier.

“I have entrusted you, as premier, to enforce and talk to MEC Mathae to assist the project, but that was not the case. The money I took from the investment account of Bafokeng Funeral Parlour was supposed to pay one of my suppliers from the same project who were threatening to attach my property in Sterkspruit [of] which I owed 1.8 million. 

“That property is the head office of Bafokeng Funeral Parlour. My plant and plot situated on the outskirts of Braam Fischer were also attached by a supplier.

‘Empty promises’

“The promise you had made for the second term, and because of the debts I have accumulated because of you and Khalipa who also benefitted from the project of Honey Park in Welkom, did not happen. Hence, Bafokeng Funeral Parlour collapsed because of your empty promises,” Phuti alleged.

Phuti claimed Dukwana did little to “protect” him from allegedly being discredited by Mathae.

“She made an example of my project and made it sound like a failure, while you knew of my financial problems. 

“Your silence shows that you might have been part of the Mathae family who wanted me off the project.

“When I think about all of this my heart breaks because I have protected you and your son from all of these things,” Phuti further alleged.

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Dukwana’s troubles: ‘excessiveness and largesse’ expenses

Opposition parties debated a motion of no confidence against Dukwana last year, brought by the EFF, over “excessiveness and largesse” in the costly funeral of the late MEC Tate Makgoe.

The R3.5-million funeral drew widespread condemnation in a province where municipalities are near total collapse due to mismanagement and corruption.

The EFF accused Dukwana of financial misconduct for his failure to ensure proper usage of public funds.

The motion predictably failed amid an ANC majority in the legislature.

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